Egyptian Female Pharaohs

    Neithikret � Egypt�s First Female Pharaoh

Egypt�s first female Pharaoh was Neithikret (Nitocris). According to historian, Manetho, Nitocris became Pharaoh circa 2148-2144 B.C. upon the death of her brother, who was executed for blasphemy and defiling a temple of Osiris. Nitocris avenged her brother�s death by inviting all those responsible to a banquet into a sealed chamber which she had flooded with water from the Nile, thereby drowning all of them. Before anyone could seek revenge on her, she committed suicide. Manetho writes that she was the last ruler of the 6th dynasty and describes her as the �bravest and most beautiful woman of her time�.   According to Manetho's list: during the 6th dynasty; of the 6 Memphite Kings, the sixth sovereign was Nitocris (Neithikret), the first female sovereign. Unfortunately Nitocris is not mentioned in any native Egyptian inscriptions as she may not have existed, or her name erased, as many Egyptian records have been altered.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitocris

Sobeknefru - Egypt's Second Female Pharaoh

Egypt�s second female Pharaoh was Sobeknefru. She is possibly the first confirmed female pharaoh of Egypt. She is mentioned in Manetho's text, in the Turin Canon, the Karnak, Turin and Sakkara king lists. Her name means �Beautiful of the God Sobek�. She was married to Amenemhet IV, who was possibly also her brother, and she became ruler upon his death. She ruled for four years circa 1787-1783. There is very little records of her reign remaining. It�s debated whether she was Amenemhet III�s wife, a rival or a regent for an infant son.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sobeknefru



    

Edited by morticia - 26-May-2006 at 00:01

Originally posted by Belisarius Intriguing... I always thought that Maatkare Hapshepsut, believed to have ruled 1503 BCE - 1483 BCE, was the first female ruler not only of Egypt but any country.

I thought the same, Belisarius. However, in researching female pharaohs, I found said info. I too was intrigued!      

Originally posted by mamikon is Cleopatra considered a pharaoh or a queen tributary to Rome?

"The Ptolemies were of Macedonian descent, yet they ruled Egypt as Egyptians - as Pharaohs. And, indeed, Cleopatra was the last Pharaoh."

However, she was referred to as the "Queen of the Nile".

Hmmm 3 femalerulers in 3 thousand years, not exactly a prototype for "emancipation".

.....more on female pharaohs:

Egypt�s next female Pharaoh was Hatshepsut. She ruled for fifteen years � between c. 1473 -1458 B.C.   During her reign, she commenced the project of building her funerary temple at Deir el-Bahari.

Egypt�s next female Pharaoh was Nefertiti. She was very much involved in her husband Akhenaten�s restructuring policies and ruled independently as king upon her husband�s death


Nefertiti

Egypt�s next female Pharaoh was Tawosret, who took the throne upon the death of her husband , Seti II, in 1194 B.C. She was responsible for a number of expeditions to the Sinai and Palestine.

The last of Egypt�s female Pharaohs was Cleopatra VII. When Cleopatra ascended the Egyptian throne, she was only seventeen. She reigned as Queen Philopator and Pharaoh between 51 and 30 BC, and died at the age of 39. She is the most popular of all the female pharaohs.


Portrait of Cleopatra VII, Graeco-Roman Museum, Alexandria


    

Edited by morticia - 27-May-2006 at 23:06

Originally posted by Sparten BTW any news on whether that new mummy they found was Nefertiti? That Scottish Egyptologist was pretty confident. �

Last I heard, the mummy found was possibly that of a man. I don't believe there is anything conclusive yet, but I'll do some research and see what I can find.
    
    

Edited by morticia - 28-May-2006 at 23:45

Cleopatra II and III were as well "tough cookies" as Dawn put it.

CII was first the wife of her brother Ptolemee VI and then the wife of her husband murderer who was her other brother Ptolemee VIII (who had murder her first born son PVII).
CIII was the daughter of CII and PVI but then became the wife of PVIII (still married to her mother of course other wise it wouldn't be funny).
At one point CII got upset with this situation and fired CIII and PVIII. But, too confident, she sent them her son P. Memphite who was killed by his own rebellious father and half-sister, chop off in piece and mailed back to his mother in twelve packages.
But hey, they were still A FAMILLY (and that is what matters whatever happens) so the all three of them decided to rule again jointly. End of the story.

Those were completely wicked, but the women were powerful allright.

M.

Originally posted by Maharbbal Cleopatra II and III were as well "tough cookies" as Dawn put it. CII was first the wife of her brother Ptolemee VI and then the wife of her husband murderer who was her other brother Ptolemee VIII (who had murder her first born son PVII). CIII was the daughter of CII and PVI but then became the wife of PVIII (still married to her mother of course other wise it wouldn't be funny). At one point CII got upset with this situation and fired CIII and PVIII. But, too confident, she sent them her son P. Memphite who was killed by his own rebellious father and half-sister, chop off in piece and mailed back to his mother in twelve packages. But hey, they were still A FAMILLY (and that is what matters whatever happens) so the all three of them decided to rule again jointly. End of the story. Those were completely wicked, but the women were powerful allright. M.

My gosh this is simply awful!

One feels tempted to make a case for a Gibbonian explanation for the decline of the Ptolemies based purely on this example.

Belisarius wrote; ""It is easier to talk than to hold one's tongue."

And, Belisarius, you should have written just what you preached? That is "nothing!"

I never knew there were so many female Pharaohs besides Cleopatra, Hatshepsut and Nefertiti